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How bad is it to skip washing your sheets every week?

Are you guilty? - by Livia Gamble
  • 20 Mar 2018

We know we should be washing our sheets once a week. Despite this, many probably aren’t keeping up with this schedule. So how bad is it to skip washing your sheets for a week or so. 

As expected, leaving your sheets more than a week is pretty gross.

RELATED: The simple bedroom hack to make you sleep better

As Business Insider explains: “Humans naturally produce roughly 26 gallons of sweat in bed every year. When it’s hot and humid outside, this moisture becomes what scientists call an ideal fungal culture medium.” 

Delving a little deeper into the kinds of germs that could be found lurking in your sheets, microbiologist, Laura Bowater told Well and Good, "Dozens of different types of bacteria and viruses can survive on your bed sheets, including E. coli, ringworm, salmonella, herpes, norovirus, athlete's foot, and the flu."

bed sheets
Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

The publication, however, does add that a bi-weekly wash could be okay depending on whether you sleep with your pets and if you shower before bed.

RELATED: The one room in your home you shouldn't keep plants

Livia Gamble
Livia Gamble
Based in Sydney, Livia Gamble will not sleep until she has discovered every possible way to use bi-carb soda and vinegar. When she isn’t reporting on ways to improve your home and garden, she can be found knitting socks (by choice) and will never say no to pizza.

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